by Dani René
She’s right. This could be a good thing, but how can I work alongside a man I’m sleeping with? “I’ll think about it. I’m seeing him tonight after work. I’m sure he’ll tell me I need to decide soon.”
“Listen to your head, I know your heart is saying no to the job because you could fall for him,” she admits the one thing I couldn’t. Only, she doesn’t know I’m already in love with Elijah Draydon. I’ve been in love with him since I was seventeen.
“I can’t think about that. You know I can’t love anyone again, Lei.”
“You know I didn’t mean it like that, but he’s a good-looking man who gets what he wants. If he wants you, I don’t think you have a choice in the matter.”
Once again, she’s hit the nail on the head, and that’s what scares me. As much as I know I can’t tell him who I really am, Elijah Draydon will be my weakness. He has been for years, seven to be exact.
I kept my distance because I was forced to. When I found myself in a predicament being left alone, an offer came along, I took it. Not knowing that it would be the biggest mistake I ever made. I submitted to a man who was no Dominant, no Master, he was an abuser.
All I wanted was Eli, but he left me. He walked out one day and I never saw him again. We made promises we both broke. But I’m done hiding. I’m done running from him. And now that I’ve been with him once, I don’t think I’ll be able to refuse or resist him again.
5
Elijah
“I love you, I’ll always love you,” I whisper to her every time I walk in here. She smiles at me. She’s still as beautiful as the first time I saw her. Her body is fragile, not the voluptuous curvy figure she had all the time I’d known her.
Her response doesn’t come. I’m met with silence. There’s no longer a woman there, merely a shell of who she was. The ache in my chest is stifling. As if someone has laid a lead weight on it, cutting off my breath.
My hand reaches for her, but she’s gone. A lump forms in my throat, so thick, I’m sure I’m about to suffocate. I swallow. My lungs don’t fill with air. Instead they’re infused with poison. The pain of losing someone you love is a venom which slowly eats away at every cell in your body. Until there’s nothing left.
The moment you say goodbye to the person you love, when they die, you’re left alone with only the memories. The images of times you spent together are all you have, beside the things that are left behind. All those worldly possessions that now mean nothing to them.
“It’s time.”
My heart leaps into my throat. The tightening of my chest leaves me gasping for air. I blink to clear my vision, but it doesn’t help. Everything is blurry. White coats. Doctors, nurses, they’re all here to do their job. A cry, wrenched from my soul echoes from my throat and the sound surrounds me.
I’m gone.
So fucking gone and it dawns on me that I’m alone.
I’m all alone.
Shaking the memory, I glance at Oliver who’s smirking at me like he’s satisfied with himself. And knowing him, I can guarantee he’s more than happy at what he’s done.
“You did what?” I ask again in frustration.
Oliver shrugs. “I wanted to see what this toy had that none of the other’s had. To be honest, she’s too innocent looking. Her friend however, I’ll be testing that ride out tonight.”
Scrubbing my hand over my jaw, I regard my best friend. “You’re going to be fucking Leila?” He nods. “Jesus, Oliver. You can’t hurt her.”
“Isn’t that the idea?” he wags his eyebrows.
“You know what I mean. If you break her heart…” My words trail off, but my warning is clear. He shrugs as he settles into the chair opposite my desk.
When he meets my gaze, he responds easily. “She’s a big girl and I always tell them the rules before we play.” With his hands poised in a steeple, his index fingers under his chin, he looks like he’s ready to go to war. I wonder if he’ll be able to tame the little girl.
“Good luck with that. She looks like a feisty one.” And it’s true. Leila, a beautiful blonde, definitely looks like she can be a handful.
“I like them feisty, that means I can tame her using punishments. There’s something about the doll that makes me think she’ll be up for those. My leather whip is just waiting for a perfect ass to mark.” Dark eyes meet mine. Oliver is a sadistic asshole, that’s why we’ve been best friends for more than thirty years. I first saw him when he was the new kid in the neighborhood. A ten-year-old boy who my mother told me to go and talk to. She was always on at me to make friends. I was only six at the time, but I knew a life-long friend when I saw one.
“You’re an asshole, Oliver.” He nods. It’s no secret between us that we both have a penchant for whips and chains, but my best friend enjoys the markings, and whimpers, whereas I love the tears and hearing those beautiful sounds of choking. I’ve been doing this for far too long to stop now. And with Giana on the end of my cock, fingers, or tongue, I don’t see any need to stop.
“As are you, man. As are you.” He pushes up, rising to his full six-foot-four. “I’m heading out to meet Mr. Geizer, his assistant set up the meeting for this afternoon. I think we have a chance of signing him. Insuring the whole of Geizer Electronics will be a goldmine. Then I’m back in court to testify for that asshole Fredericks,” he grunts out the name like he’d rather watch the man burn in hell. I don’t blame him. Something about William Fredericks always rubbed me the wrong way. The fact that he’s come to us to help him out of the insurance debacle he’s been pulled into makes me wary.
“I know you can nail that bastard.”
He chuckles darkly, meeting my stare. “It’s his assistant I’d love to nail, but since I have a date tonight, I should be on my best behavior.”
“I thought you fucked her already?” I question, watching his steel-color eyes light up with amusement. Like I said, asshole.
Shaking his head, he saunters to my office door. “Not yet, she did suck my dick once, but she’s too sweet and vanilla for me.” A guffaw rumbles through his chest and around my office as he steps out into the reception area that’s now empty since I fired my assistant.
A quick glance at the time tells me it’s almost three, which gives me enough time to get home and prepare for tonight. Picking up my land line, I dial the number for the boutique store that’s my go to for my toys. “Leather and Lace, it’s Kristine speaking,” the sultry tone of the sales girl who knows me all too well answers.
“It’s Eli here, I have a special request. I need it delivered within the next hour. Can you do that?”
“Of course, Mr. Draydon. What can I do for you?”
Once I’ve told her what I want, I hang up and grab my cellphone. I tap out a message with a smirk on my face. I want to have Giana screaming my name all night, and when I see her in the outfit I’ve chosen, there’s no doubt I’ll be devouring every inch of her.
There’s a delivery on its way to you. Do not open the box in public. Wear it under your uniform tonight. I’ll be ripping it off later. E.
I don’t have to wait long for her response. It’s almost immediate.
I don’t need you to buy me lingerie, I do own some. And I rather like any gift I receive, so you will not be ripping anything off. G.
Chuckling, I shake my head at her feisty mouth. She’s going to have to be trained properly to accept anything I buy her. And if I want to rip the fucking material off, I’ll do so and she needs to learn she has no choice in the matter.
I tap reply and type out my response.
Your mouth will be well trained tonight, Toy. And when I tell you something will happen, have no doubt that I’ll ensure it happens. With or without your consent. If I have a desire to rip, tear, or break anything, I will do so, including your beautiful body.
I wait for the three little dots, but don’t see them, so I leave my phone on the desk and continue responding to important emails that have appeared in my inbox.
Once I’ve hit send
on the last one, I check the time. Five. Shutting off my computer, I grab my keys, phone, and jacket. The reception area is silent when I step out of the office and make my way to the elevators.
As soon as the elevator arrives on our floor and slides open effortlessly and soundlessly, I step inside and push the button for the basement garage. The numbers for each floor light up as it descends. I’m delivered to my car within moments. My shiny charcoal BMW X5 sits waiting in the space allocated to it.
Pressing the key fob, I unlock the car and slide into the driver’s seat. As soon as the engine purrs to life, I make my way out to the main road that will take me home.
Living outside the city has always been my goal, and when I bought the mansion in the hills, I knew it would be my favorite place to unwind. As much as I enjoy coming into town to work, and to make my weekly visits to Sins, I much prefer spending time in my own home.
As I weave out to the suburb, I can’t help thinking about Giana, my sweet little toy. I’m going to enjoy tonight. Taking advantage of that incredible body has me thickening with desire already. The sun is just setting on the horizon, lighting the sky with a fiery glow.
My mind is on her while I take note of the traffic around me. Lights change. The trees that line the streets darken as the sky turns navy. The night time laced with promise of dark sins and delicious delights.
Once I arrive home, I open the gates and when they slide open, I drive up the long, paved path toward the house. Parking the car, I kill the engine, with my mind still reeling from all the thoughts of what I want to do with Giana. I should take it slow. Train her like I would any other toy, but there’s something about her that tells me she’s willing to do more than I gave her last night. So much more.
Heading straight for the room I fucked Giana in last night, I make sure everything is cleaned and ready. To anyone who doesn’t know what I do in here, it looks like a reception room. Two large wingback chairs sit on either side of a large fireplace. There’s a long wooden table where I had her kneel last night. That was a sight to behold. Her body is slim, yet her hips curve beautifully, giving her an hourglass figure.
The long brown waves that hang to the middle of her back shimmer with golden highlights. Dark eyes that stare at me inquisitively every time I walk into the room. Perfect for a toy. She needs to feel me as soon as I enter her space. Her awareness of me is intoxicating.
I couldn’t have found a better toy. And she’s all mine to train, to teach, and to consume. I’ll become hers as much as she is mine. She’s beautiful, innocent, yet there’s a deeper need in her that calls to me.
I’ve spent my life after Raquel lusting after women. None of them would ever be someone I could love, but I can deal with the desire that’s one of the deadly sins. And something tells me little Giana suffers from the same.
Never have I felt such a connection to any toy. “Mr. Draydon?” Clara walks into the room carrying the shopping bags I had delivered earlier. “These arrived for you.” She’s worked for me for many years, since I first bought this house fifteen years ago, I had an extensive interview process to hire help around the house. I needed people I could trust. That wouldn’t just walk away when they learned about what I enjoy.
“Thank you, set them down over there.” I gesture at the table. “Once you’re done you can leave. I’ll have Lincoln drive you home,” I inform her.
I’ve had parties here that would turn most women either green with envy, or red with anger, but Clara’s turned a blind eye. She serves drinks, cleans the house, but I never allow her to see more than I would anyone else who’s not into this lifestyle.
As soon as the darker side of the party takes place, she’s home safe with her family. All my staff have to sign non-disclosure agreements, which keeps mine and Oliver’s company running smoothly. The integrity of our business is important and he understands it as much as I do. It’s our reputation which has us known as the most lucrative and meticulous insurance company in the city. We pride ourselves in offering the best rates, and the best cover to our clients. The fact that we go into court if our clients need it is one of the perks of being an exclusive client. Most of the men we do represent don’t realize that if they didn’t have us on their side, they’d lose millions from stupid decisions they make daily.
Once Clara leaves, the silence that settles around my home is deafening. I’ve never been bothered with being alone. In fact, I enjoy it, but tonight, all I want are the screams of my toy. Heading upstairs, I make my way to the east wing toward the suite I’ve set up for myself. None of the women I’ve had have ever come into this room. It’s the only place that’s free of the dark delights I hunger for. Even though there are many places in here where I can have a woman bound, whipped, and even bent over while I fucked her, I’ve never allowed myself to do it.
I promised myself that if ever I were to bring someone else here, it would be the woman I marry. Never have I set out to put a ring on anyone’s finger, nobody has ever showed they’re worthy. Yes, I’m an asshole, but I’m picky with women. Not everyone can hold a candle to the one I lost, and even if I do find someone that’s as beautiful, broken, and sinful, it’s not to say I’ll walk her down the aisle.
After I lost my first wife, the only thing I could focus on was work, and fucking beautiful cunts while making them come all over me. Raquel was something else. Her statuesque frame, with flowing brown hair the color of dark chocolate. Those intense green eyes and full lips that wrapped around my cock perfectly. The moment I met her I knew I’d marry her.
When she finally said yes, and we eventually said I do, there was nothing that could have separated us. We were the power couple. Then, three years later, when she turned twenty-five and I was almost twenty-nine, she shied away from me. We fought all the time, and I didn’t know why. Until the day we went to the doctor and he told me the truth. She was scared of letting me know she’s never going to grow old with me.
She was dying and there was nothing I could do. Her choice was to hide it from me until the very end, but as she slowly got worse, there was no longer a chance for her to hide. I spent months in the hospital, each day sitting by her bedside watching her wither away into nothing. Into a shell of the strongest woman I knew.
Even as a submissive, she had a strength that forced me to my knees many a time. Nothing ever got to her. When she laid on her deathbed, begging me to move on, I still couldn’t believe that she was still so damn selfless. Making sure I was happy without her, but I knew I could never be. She was my happy place, my heart and home. Now the house is a space where I degrade women, I use them and send them on their way.
She gave me a gift the day she died. A letter. I never opened it, it’s still hidden in the bedside cabinet. I don’t want to read her goodbyes. I wasn’t ready for her to leave me. The memory haunts me to this day. It was only a year after she passed that I touched someone again. Not even a woman. A girl. The one that seemed to ensure my sanity stayed intact.
She was the first. I promised her things I shouldn’t have. The same way I promised Raquel I’d care for the girl, and I broke it. That was the first promise I ever shattered and it to from my wife, on her dying breath.
I spent an intense year with Riley. A sweet, broken little blonde girl who felt the world hated her. Sadness always danced in her brown eyes, the same way desire dances in Giana’s. When I first touched Riley, her body came alive. It was as if a spark had been lit inside her and she glowed. Her body trembled when I stroked her.
She was young, supple, and decadent. Seventeen and she never knew what it was like to be kissed by someone who cared for her, a boyfriend. After only a year we’d both become deeply rooted in each other. Too close. Somehow, she dragged me from the darkness and pulled my into something akin to light, almost as if I was alive again. But I didn’t want to be. I lost myself in her and I felt guilty. I mourned for a year before getting into a relationship with a girl and that was what made me walk away. That was it. The intense, yet soul-satisfy
ing romance died and I became an asshole.
Closed off, cold hearted, and filled with rage toward a woman who isn’t even alive anymore. Shaking my head, I sigh loudly into the empty bedroom. Time to get ready for my toy. Tonight will be fun breaking her in. And I intend to do just that.
6
Giana
As soon as I unlock the door to my apartment, I set the box on the table and head into the kitchen. I want to open the gift Eli sent me, but I’m afraid of what I’ll find inside. It’s been a long day and I know tonight I’ll be having an even longer session with him. After our last scene, I know he’s changed from the man I once knew. He still has the sadness in his eyes sometimes. When he thinks no one is watching, I see it flicker. As soon as it appears, it’s gone a second later and he pulls on the mask.
Opening the kitchen cabinet, I pull out a bottle of merlot and pour myself a large glass. Back in the living room, I pick up the cream colored box with the black logo of the store I know to be Leather & Lace. They’re known for their fetish gear, and some extremely naughty toys. I’ve only ever been inside once. My past is dotted with the memories of implements I’d rather forget. The only fear I have now is that my old memories would bombard me the moment I begged Eli for the pain. The recollections of what he did stifle me. The man I trusted. I gave myself to him and he took more than I could offer, more than I ever had bargained for.
Somehow, I know Eli won’t ever do that. He wouldn’t hurt me, but that lingering anxiety seems to attack me from time to time. That’s why it took me so long to find my way. If it wasn’t for Carrick helping me, I’d never have been able to step foot inside Seven Sins. Rick trained me from day one. Molding me out of the old behaviors I was used to and into something more. Something less violent.